November 5, 2001                  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            MEDIA ADVISORY # 2001-79

SUBJECT:     Ten Irvine Unified School District Teachers Receive Free  Airline

Tickets To New York City Today at 4:30 p.m. Presentation

CONTACT:    Heather Morris, Public information Officer, (949) 724-6252 

IRVINE, CA – Irvine Mayor Pro Tem Chris Mears announced today the names of the 10 lucky Irvine Unified School District teachers who won round trip tickets to New York as part of the Irvine-based Project EPICC (Economic Patriotism in Irvine and Coast to Coast).

Mears will present the tickets and related items to the 10 winners at a special presentation today at 4:30 p.m., at the Irvine Civic Center (1 Civic Center Plaza), beneath the three-story tall American Flag. Over 200 teachers entered the random drawing. The winners are: Alicia Price, Marion Zenoff, Virginia (Ginger) Borella, Geoff Jurak, Gary Rusell, Keith Oldoerp, Jim Anetenore, Michelle Brislen, Karen Lund and Kathy Marvin

The ticket give-away is part of the EPICC Campaign, an ambitious effort to encourage citizens across the nation to travel to New York City during the Veteran's Day Weekend to support the airlines and commerce in New York. Already, thousands of people from 23 states plan to participate.

According to EPICC co-founder Mears, “Our nation's teachers have always played a central role in helping our children understand tragedy.  Their experience and wisdom to help students to somehow make sense out of the senseless in these difficult days will serve our country for years.  While there are many more obvious heroes among our public employees in the aftermath of September 11th, there are few who are any more deserving of their country's praise and respect than teachers.”

“Because of Irvine's widely diverse population, 10 IUSD teachers were randomly selected to receive one round-trip airline ticket to visit New York City.  They represent the nation’s teachers and their experiences in the Big Apple will produce curriculum and experiences to be shared with their students and the schools they represent,” explained EPICC Cofounder, Mitch Goldstone.

The free tickets were provided to EPICC as part of the Delta Loves New York promotion.

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